This invention relates to a clip for immobilizing a decorative molding to be attached along the edge of the plate of glass in the front or rear window of an automobile.
In setting a plate of glass in the front or rear window of an automobile, it is a widely known practice to fasten a molding along the edge of the window for the purpose of filling up the gap occurring between the edge of the window frame and that of the plate of glass or imparting a decorative effect to the bondary.
The fastening of the molding has heretofore been accomplished in many instances by a method which comprises welding T-shaped studs at suitable intervals along the edge of the window, fastening the plate of glass to the edge by use of an adhesive agent, attaching a clip made of synthetic resin to each of said studs and bringing the molding into fast engagement with the clips and the glass. Another method heretofore used for this purpose comprises causing clips made of resilient metal plate material to be attached in advance to the edge of the plate of glass, setting the plate of glass in position in the window opening so as to cause the plate of glass to be immovably joined to the edge of the window in conjunction with said clips by the medium of an adhesive agent applied in advance to said edge of the window and thereafter bringing a molding into fast engagement with the clips.
The first method mentioned above necessitates preliminary individual welding of the T-shaped studs and furthermore involves the subsequent extra work of attaching the clips to the welded studs and, hence, the operation as a whole proves to be inefficient and costly. The second method mentioned above immobilizes the clips, not by relying upon studs preparatorily imbedded into the window frame, but by utilizing an adhesive agent primarily intended for fastening the plate of glass to the window frame. Use of this method, therefore, requires advanced training in the work of applying the adhesive agent and the work of setting the plate of glass having clips attached thereto in position in the window frame and is hardly appropriate for adoption in an assembly line. Because of the use of clips made of a metal, this method has an additional disadvantage that the clips tend to rust, and at the time of assembly are likely to cause scratches in the paint finish of the automobile, which leads to further corrosion problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a molding clip which is outstandingly adaptable to use in mass production assembly in that it is not likely to mar the paint finish of the window frame, in that it is totally safe from rusting, and further permits easy selection of the position for its attachment since it can be attached simultaneously with the plate of glass to the window frame, if desired.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a molding clip which insures easy attachment of the molding, precludes the possibility of the clip being pushed out of position by the attachment of the molding and permits later release of the molding from engagement with the clip if such should become necessary.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a molding clip which can be integrally molded easily and inexpensively by the technique of injection molding of a plastic material and which can easily be adapted to the existing process of molding attachment.